Last week Central Government announced that outdoor performances can resume, if social distancing measures are in place and under guidance.

The guidance follows the government’s five-stage roadmap outlining how we will get audiences back into performing arts venues. It provides advice on all aspects of performance, from casting, sound and lighting, costume and fitting, to cloakrooms, orchestra pits, hair and make-up.

Guidance for people who work in performing arts, including arts organisations, venue operators and participants can be found here.

The guidance makes clear that the following measures should be considered to allow for safe resumption of performances:

• A reduction in venue capacity and limited ticket sales to ensure social distancing can be maintained
• All tickets must be purchased online and venues are encouraged to move towards e-ticketing for help with track and trace
• Venues should have clearly communicated social distancing marking in place in areas where queues form and adopt a limited entry approach *. Increased deep cleaning of auditoriums
• Performances should be scheduled to allow sufficient time to undertake deep cleaning before the next audience arrives
• Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments in groups or in front of an audience is limited to professionals only
• Performers, conductors, musicians must observe social distancing wherever possible